In Egyptian society, anyone who harmed or killed a cat, even accidentally, was put to death and if a cat died, it was ritually buried in a cat cemetery, the ruins of which still exist today in Bubastis. Also, as a sign of respect, the owners of the deceased cat would shave their eyebrows in mourning and mummify the cat so that it could continue its journey to the 'other world' with humans. Frequently cats were buried alongside their owners.

Cats were so important to the Egyptians that, in 525 B.C, when they went to war with the Persians, the Persians lined up a row of cats in front of them. This was a strategy because they knew the Egyptians would never kill a cat and it turned out to be true, as the Egyptians retreated from the battlefield for fear of harming or killing a cat. Consequently, they were defeated by the Persians, showing just how sacred cats were to the Ancient Egyptians.

Bast, the Egyptian Goddess, is the protector of cats, women and children. She is the goddess of the sunrise and the Egyptians believed that the cat's eyes captured the light of the sun. Her goddess duties changed over the years but she is also known as a goddess of love, fertility, birth, music and dance. The Egyptians worshipped the cat perhaps more than almost any other culture. The cat was thought to be sacred to the Goddess Isis. Thus when Isis and her husband, the Sun God Osiris had a daughter, the Cat-goddess Bastet (Bast or

Pasht) emerged. It is believed that the word Pasht was the basis of the English term 'Puss', which is used to refer affectionately to the cat.

By night Bast transformed herself into a cat (renowned for its superb night vision) to guard her father from Apep (also known as Apophis), a serpent who was her father's greatest enemy. Because of

this transformation, the cat was looked upon as sacred. All our cats today are descendants of temple dwelling cats, domesticated by the Egyptians.

The power of Bast can be summed up in this prayer to the goddess, taken from an ancient anonymous source:

"Beloved Bast, mistress of happiness and bounty, twin of the Sun God, slay the evil that afflicts our minds as you slew the serpent Apep. With your graceful stealth, anticipate the moves of all who perpetrate cruelties and stay their hands against the children of light. Grant us the joy of song and dance and ever watch over us in the lonely places in which we must walk."

Makes a Fabulous Gift. Comes with a Mini Booklet giving the history of the cat goddess and the importance of the cat to the Egyptians as related above. Pendant has Waxed Thonging with Gilt Fastening.

Comes in its own beautiful gift packet

These pendants and gift packets are not mass produced. The artist has to make and paint them individually and this is reflected in the purchase price.